Volbeat, Anthrax, and Crobot at Pop’s in Sauget, IL on 31-May-2015

An unseasonable chill in the air did not stop a near-sell out crowd from the first of Pop’s outdoor concerts this season.

Volbeat headlined the first outdoor concert at Pop’s this summer, taking over the ample parking lot and packing the fans into the fenced-off show zone. Volbeat came out and played song after song–including covering Johnny Cash’s and “Ring of Fire” and a bit of “Folsom Prison Blues”–to the delight of everyone in attendance. The band noticed one audience member who had been holding a sign requesting a particular song. They apologized for that song not being on their set list for the night, instead bringing the young man onstage to rock out with the band during their final song, “Still Counting.”

Anthrax took the center lineup spot, playing songs that spanned their 30+ year history, including one of their new songs, “Soror Irrumator,” and perennial favorites “Indian” and “Antisocial.” Throughout the majority of their set, the audience sang along to every song, with some doing a traditional Anthrax “war dance” during “Indian.” Joey Belladonna’s vocals were as strong and powerful as ever, balancing nicely across the rhythmic thrash of Scott Ian’s guitar, leads of John Donais, steady beat from drummer Charlie Benante, and Frank Bello’s energetic bass performance.

Opening the show was Crobot, a band that hails from Pennsylvania. They’ve described their sound as “Dirty. Groove. Rock.”–an apt description for their blues-influenced riffs. Vocalist Brandon Yeagley gave his usual performance, mixing his unerring vocals with a magnetic stage presence. Guitarist Chris Bishop was solid and energetic, swinging his guitar around and occasionally playing from atop his Orange cabinet. Bassist Jake Figueroa’s antics rivaled Yeagley’s, playing from every corner of the stage, including brief stints of sitting on the drum riser while his brother, Paul Figueroa, pounded away.

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About The Author

Colleen was always the kid with the camera, taking snapshots of anything and everything she found interesting. Fast-forward to her teen years, where she spent much spare time and money on seeing as many live rock 'n roll acts as possible, both established and up-and-coming bands, and having a camera in hand. Colleen works to capture those moments that draw the viewer in and define the mood and energy of the artists and their performances.